A former central Pennsylvania teacher is charged with sexually abusing five young girls, according to state police.

James W. Mentzer, a 39-year-old former teacher at the Lower Dauphin School District, was charged Thursday with institutional sexual assault and unlawful contact with minors at East Hanover Elementary School in Grantville, police said.

Mentzer faces those felony charges for incidents that allegedly began in August with girls between 8 and 11 years old.